UAE legal Q&As: Incarceration in the UAE



Q: Do I need to tell my company that I have been held by police or can I try to work things so my company does not find out?

A: According to the law, one is obligated to tell his/her employer if they are being charged with something. If not, the person is committing a violation of their labour contract. However, the majority of people are not even aware of the fact that they are violating their labour contract by failing to report to their company if they are being charged, so they don't do it. For some involved in minor cases that are resolved quickly, it has worked out OK. However, not telling an employer runs the risk of having the employment contract terminated and even becoming an illegal resident, if the employer cancels the residency visa immediately.

Q: What does it cost to retain a lawyer?

A: The professional fee for a lawyer is usually based upon the effort and conduct required to defend a client, as well as the nature of the case.

Q: If I am incarcerated for a nonviolent crime, am I separated from the violent offenders?

A: There are custody cells, where the accused go until a judgement is reached in their case, and then the Central Prison cells, where offenders complete their sentences after being convicted. In the custody cells, the accused is locked up with others who are charged with similar offences. For example, those held for serious crimes such as murder, drugs or rape are held separately from those who are locked up for minor offences such as theft or dud cheques.

Juveniles are kept in a completely separate cell block and those who are found to be suffering from contagious diseases are kept alone to prevent infection in others.

The second type is the Central jail cells where the prisoners stay to fulfil their jail sentences delivered by the court and here they are also put in separate cells according to the type of their crimes.

* If you have a question for our lawyer, please email it to newsdesk@thenational.ae with the subject line "Know the law".

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